At Caitie’s Foster Farm – Rescue in Houston, Texas, an emaciated and starved little dog arrived after she had been sent from a nearby shelter on Tuesday afternoon. The first words from rescuers were to ask, “how is she even alive?”
The local shelter had sent a photograph of Penelope to the rescue organization, and there were no words to describe the dog’s condition. She arrived weighing barely 10 pounds, and she was practically unrecognizable.
Penelope had been adopted from the shelter in 2022 as a puppy, and now, just four years later, this is Penelope. Her photo doesn’t even look real, but there she is, and she’s barely more than skin stretched over her visible skeleton.
Penelope had been removed from her home after authorities stated she had been starved and left to die. When adopted four years prior, she had been a happy and healthy puppy. Now she weighed in at only 10 pounds, when she should have weighed at least 30 pounds. In addition, her body score registered on 1.5 for body condition.
Penelope is scheduled to receive urgent care, including hospitalization, blood transfusions and ongoing care to help her safely gain weight.
Caitie’s Foster Farm will be working on making Penelope healthy again. On Tuesday afternoon, she was immediately hospitalized, and she has shocked everyone by how well she is doing. Her spirits have been high, and she is stable. She is walking on her own. She is a fighter, and she knows how much she is loved now.
With how thin she is, she is still at a risk of re-feeding. This means she is on a specific food plan of small meals spread throughout the day. Feeding too much too quickly can shock their bodies and send them into organ failur
The 15/10 Foundation stepped up to help with Penelope’s veterinarian care; their mission includes meeting serious medical needs and ultimately helping these dogs become more adoptable. Within eight minutes, $12,000 in donations were raised for Penelope’s care.
Penelope’s case remains under investigation.
Updates to follow.
If Penelope’s wishlist was empty by the time you got here, consider purchasing from our general wishlist to help all the dogs in the rescue:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1MBXNXPMGUGJ8…
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